.jpg)
A new operator has been revealed on the Wellington-Westport regional route after Sounds Air confirmed it is dropping the service from December 31. Nelson-based Originair has stepped into the void, flying six times a week between the centres from January 3, down from the 15 that Sounds currently operates. Originair uses the 18-seat British Aerospace Jetstream, while Sounds mainly used the PC12 which can carry nine. Originair currently operates flights from Nelson to Palmerston North, Wellington and Hamilton, and between Palmerston North and Hamilton. Tania Armstrong, Originair’s customer service manager, said the airline will provide more than 11,200 seats annually. “Morning flights will connect Westport with Wellington from Monday to Thursday, while afternoon services on Fridays and Sundays will cater to leisure travellers, aiming to grow the weekend market between both destinations. These weekend flights alone will offer over 3700 seats per year.” CEO Robert Inglis added that depending on passenger demand, the airline could include connections to Nelson in the future. Blenheim-based Sounds has been operating the route since April 2015, but is leaving after “reviewing the sustainability of its regional network”. CEO Andrew Crawford admitted to Stuff Travel it was a “sad day“. “We've been doing it now for nine years and really feel we've given Buller tremendous support and they admit that, but the economic climate is such that it's just not tenable. It’s depressing really.” The service had a “pretty reasonable” 65% capacity on flights. The aviation market is the toughest he has seen in his 21 years at the airline: “Post Covid, the combination of staggering jet fuel costs, a weak NZD exchange rate, increasing landing fees and CAA charges, wage pressures, high interest rates, and the dramatic international escalation in the costs of servicing engines have been crippling. This coupled with ongoing supply chain disruptions has been brutal for us, as it has been for Air New Zealand. We currently have two aircraft grounded awaiting parts, with no known delivery dates.” He also stressed a frustration with a lack of government support, having been encouraged to apply for funding through the Provincial Growth Fund and the Regional Infrastructure Fund, but had been rejected twice. Sounds Air confirmed it is dropping the route from December 31. “I don't have the time or the energy (to apply again). It's just (a) very, very long and painful process and I'm not doing it again. When you see the support that the national carrier has gotten over the years and (with) regional aviation, the regional operators are expected to mortgage their properties to support regional connectivity in this country. Frankly, I find it embarrassing.” But he added: “There's no shame in pulling out. I mean at some point you got to make business decisions and this is a decision.” Sounds had recently announced it had overhauled its schedule, which took more than a year of planning, and it had factored in the loss of the Westport service. Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine thanked Sounds Air for its nine years of service, saying it had been “instrumental in connecting Buller with the capital. We recognise the challenging market conditions that have impacted the route and truly appreciate the great service they have provided over the years”. “We're looking forward to working with Originair to ensure this essential connection continues. I’m very pleased that Originair share in our aspirations to grow the Buller as a destination in its own right.” Tourism in Buller is on the up, with visitors staying 330,800 nights in the year to June 2024, that’s an increase of 8000 guest nights from the previous year.
Just the worst luck. Moved my Business to WSZ from WHK, 6 months or so ago after Air Chathams introduced a abysmal schedule between WHK-AKL. It made it impossible to do a days business in Auckland. Before the new schedule, I found it more than possible to connect onto Air NZ to WLG and do near enough a full days business there. Leave WHK at 6.45am, and back by 7.30pm. Perfect.
ReplyDeleteStarted commuting between WHK and TRG and flying from there, but soon got sick of that. Decided after weighing up options, to relocate home and business to my hometown of Westport. A huge benefit to the move was having Sounds Air flights to Wellington. On peak days (ie. Mon, Thur, Fri) there were up to 3 flights a day, with the A/C overnighting at WSZ. Could have near enough a 12hr day in WLG, or connect onto AKL and have a decent day up there. Sounds are an impeccable operator, with me never once having had a cancelled flight. Amazing odds considering my frequent utilization.
Terrible news today to find Sounds Air are pulling out in favour of Origin. And going to just a single flight a day, 6 days of the week. There goes any chances of same day trips out to WLG. I got sick of the 1 hour drive from WHK to TRG ha ha, I'm now going to have to either spend precious time away from the family overnighting, or drive to NSN and flying from there. Unfortunately for Sounds, WSZ can be a little hit and miss. Can go from days of sold out flights, to days of flying 4 or 5 people. Let's face it - 4 empty seats on a PC12 is a massive bite into your load factor. There is actually a fairly sizable business community in Buller. Hence the first flight out to WLG, and the last one back into WSZ were always pretty chocka, and I learned to book well ahead otherwise I would miss out on my preferred flight option. All of this might not have been so bad when the council were underwriting x amount of seats per flights towards the beginning of Sounds tenure, but low numbers a big cost to Sounds Air.
I cringe at the thought of Origin taking over. For a long time they were just so inconsistent with their routes and destinations. How many routes have the pulled out from? I can count at least 4 that I have flown on in the last few years that they no longer fly. I wish them well here in WSZ, but I do fear we may one day soon see WSZ without any Airlink.
Looks like I might be moving again soon L.O.L